Jolly Declines Debates with Donalds, Citing Bad Faith

West Palm Beach Fort Pierce, FL, September 21, 2026 — In a significant development for the Florida governor’s race, Democrat David Jolly has declared he will not participate in televised debates with his Republican opponent, Byron Donalds. This decision introduces a new point of contention between the two candidates vying for the state’s highest office.

Jolly’s office stated that the decision stems from an accusation that Donalds has been acting in bad faith regarding the debate process. The specific details of this alleged bad faith were not elaborated upon in the announcement. Conversely, Donalds’ campaign has countered Jolly’s move by asserting that Jolly is deliberately avoiding public scrutiny of his policy positions.

The dispute over debate participation has escalated, involving accusations and counter-accusations from both campaigns concerning the acceptance of debate invitations. This ongoing disagreement could lead to an unprecedented outcome for Florida’s gubernatorial election.

As a result of the current impasse, there is a possibility that Florida’s governor’s election could become the first in more than 50 years to proceed without any televised debates between the major candidates. This situation raises questions about transparency and the opportunities for voters to directly compare the candidates’ platforms and proposed policies on a public forum.

The exact terms of the debate invitations, the specific instances cited as

Story summarized from the original created by Forrest Saunders on www.wptv.com, see more information here.